Strike reflects divide in labor movement

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1181357721126100.xml&coll=7

Strike reflects divide in labor movement
Analysts differ on whether it's a sign of tough times to
Saturday, June 09, 2007
BRENT HUNSBERGER

Labor experts nationwide say an ongoing drywallers strike in Oregon and southwest Washington looms as the sharpest example yet of this decade's divisions within the U.S. labor movement spilling out onto a picket line.

This week's quarrels -- with union members defying tradition and crossing their brethren's pickets -- could spell trouble for organized labor, particularly in construction, as it tries to reverse its declining fortunes.

"When unions don't band with each other, it hurts everybody," said Kate Bronfenbrenner, labor education research director at Cornell University in New York.

But the spat likely won't spill into other sectors, many experts say, where rival unions organizing child-care providers in Oregon and drayage workers in California resolved jurisdictional disputes privately.

"There are numerous other examples of where things could've disrupted and happened very badly," said Katie Quan, associate director of the University of California at Berkeley's Labor Center. "I'm not so sure that the news of this dispute in Oregon taking place is necessarily going to be a harbinger for difficult times."

The strike, called by the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters, entered its ninth day Saturday with little sign of ending. The union wants a 6 percent wage increase to offset higher gas prices and cost-of-living increases for its 1,300 drywall members. Drywall contractors have offered a 4.3 percent increase on current pay of $29.33 an hour, or $40.82 including benefits. No talks have been scheduled.

FULL story at link.

[nosmokes]

1. I can't believe a BA for an IBEW local is trying to justify telling his members

to cross a picket line. Either there's a whole lot more to this story than what's in that article or The IBEW guy might have some other motive going on than strictly the interests of union electicians.

And this is where American organised labor falls down. When the carpenter's go out then everybody should go out. Waiters. Clerks. Musicians. Bus drivers. A strike is no small thing, and when our brothers and sisters decide there is no other way to get justice than by walking a picket then we should all join hands and really put the pressure on. Right now the only people getting hurt are the carpeners and their families who are going w/o an income. But if everybody went out and shut the city down you can bet your ass that there would be some talks scheduled and folks would be at the table right fucking now, no commercial interruptions, the food will be catered in TYVM.